Your guide to enjoy fall with these iconic TV shows
“Gossip Girl” promises to take viewers into the private lives of Manhattan’s Upper East Side spoiled teens, but with a keen eye toward both that love-text-triangle-secrets-and-scandal web that wraps itself around them. The show captures the world of high society, which is as ruthless as it is glamorous, as characters such as Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf navigate friendships, betrayals and the ever-present gaze of the anonymous Gossip Girl blog. While the melodramatic, high-stakes conflicts of wealth and social power are part of the show’s public character, in fact, deeper concerns of identity, insecurity and a search for validation are at stake here. More free-spirited and rebellious compared to Blair’s desire to be in control and perfect, Serena reflects the complexities of real-life ambitions and self-worth. Beneath the glittering surface of designer clothes and lavish parties, a cautionary tale unravels about the consequences of living in a world where appearances are everything in “Gossip Girl”. Both an escape and relatable, it makes for a thrilling pair with the whirlwind energy of the city itself.
“Gilmore Girls” centers on the mother-daughter relationship of Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory Gilmore while maintaining the autumn vibe that everyone is looking for. This show goes beyond simple conflicts that highlight the struggles in the relationship of Lorelai Gilmore and Rory Gilmore. On one hand, Lorelai is raised with high, uptight standards that leaves her with a tense relationship with her mother, Emily Gilmore. Contrary to this, Rory is raised with more openness and casualty and the mother-daughter relationship can appear more as a friendship at times. With just this simple circumstance that “Gilmore Girls” created, a realistic representation of generational trauma is portrayed. The way Lorelai raises Rory is quite the opposite compared to the way she was raised which can be seen as a trauma response. The show explores how they overcome the obstacles trauma has put in their relationship. “Gilmore Girls” sheds light that no family is perfect and its biggest message is we can only improve ourselves and our relationships. In a way, the lives of the Gilmores provide comfort that would pair nicely with the incoming season.
“Wednesday,” featuring the Addams Family, is the perfect show to satisfy the spooky aesthetic as Halloween comes around. Main character Wednesday Addams is sent to Nevermore Academy where she works to uncover the mysterious attacks on students at the academy. The way Wednesday is portrayed is mostly given credit to the actress of Wednesday, Jenna Ortega, who cut her own bangs for the show and created the choreography for the iconic dance scene in episode 4. Ortega’s creative liberties are argued to be what brought success to the show. In addition, throughout the show, Wednesday learns to create and foster her relationships while still maintaining her morbidly gothic self. How she learns to balance affection with her sadistic personality is what we believe provides the audience with a relatable conflict for those who are still learning to rely on others rather than constantly being overly independent. All in all, watching “Wednesday” is a great way to enjoy your fall while taking away its powerful message.
Amanda Lubbos ‘25 said, “Personally, I love Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls, but I’m not a huge fan of Wednesday. I like Gossip Girl. It keeps me entertained with all the drama and it’s just fun to have in the background while I’m doing my homework. I am excited to rewatch Gilmore Girls, it helps me get into the fall vibe and it’s always cozy to watch in the cold.”
Outside of Gossip Girl, Gilmore Girls and Wednesday, other students have different plans and opinions for the fall.
Jared Shirley Moore ‘25 said, “I have only seen one episode of Wednesday, it was a solid five out of 10. I have not seen Gilmore Girls or Gossip Girl. My go to for the fall is something Thanksgiving related. I watch a lot of animated tv shows and movies like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, stuff like that. I’m looking forward to watching Iron Blooded Orphans.”
